good morning. making the case. president obama gets set to address the nation tonight, on the u.s. mission in libya, from short-term goals to a possible exit strategy. this as rebel forces gain ground, and allied air strikes continue to pound targets inside libya, including moammar gadhafi's hometown. radiation scare. after a partial meltdown at japan's crippled nuclear plant, radiation levels are 100,000 times higher than normal. as the government warns that the contamination is creeping into sea water and the ground, now traces of radiation are being detected as far away as massachusetts. and wedding worries. with just over one month to go

until the royal wedding, a huge anti-government protest in london turned violent, putting a renewed spotlight on security for the big day. this as new details emerge on everything from the cake to the bachelor party "early" this monday morning, march 28th, bachelor party "early" this monday morning, march 28th, 2011. captioning funded by cbs good morning from london. you are looking at a beautiful day here. we are live at buckingham palace, as you see. wedding preparations are under way. there is a renewed focus on security for the big day this morning. as chris mentioned we're going to get you more information on that after demonstrations turned violent here over the weekend. chris, over to you. >> all right, erica, thank you. we will check back in with you in just a couple of minutes. first, let's begin with the latest on the crisis in libya. in a speech to the nation tonight, president obama will talk about his reasons for u.s. air attacks in libya, and how

long the intervention is likely to last. on sunday, after a week of debate, nato finally agreed to take full command of the air campaign, allowing u.s. forces to step back. and for the first time, allied air strikes have hit the key town of sirte, where moammar gadhafi was born. cbs news correspondent elizabeth palmer is in libya's capital, tripoli, with the latest for us this morning. elizabeth, good morning. >> good morning. yes, those nato air strikes have really allowed the rebels to make decisive advances over the last 48 hours. just a week ago they were driven out of this town in a panicked retreat. now the libyan rebels are back, and celebrating. but they owe their victory to the overwhelming fire power of missiles launched from ships and planes under nato command. the missiles destroyed or scattered gadhafi's forces and their heavy guns so the rebels could advance. and it was dramatic.

over the weekend, they swept more than 200 miles along the coast road. first the town of ajdabiya fell after four days of fighting. and then the rebels rolled on through ras lanuf, where they met no resistance, to the outskirts of sirte, the last gadhafi stronghold on the road to tripoli. crucially this puts most of libya's oil facilities in rebel-held territory. while the rebels were handing out supplies to people in the towns they'd taken, their leaders were preparing for the battle for sirte, which may be the most decisive one so far in this war. now, information from the ground is scant, but we understand that gadhafi's military is digging in in and around the town of sirte although the fighting hasn't begun and the rebels seem to be regrouping about 60 miles outside the town. erica? >> liz, thanks. here in london, top officials from the u.s. and its allies, including secretary of state hillary clinton, will have a key

summit on libya tomorrow. meantime, in the u.s., president obama is preparing today to address the nation tonight to give his reason for why it was important to the national interests for the u.s. to intervene in libya. senior white house correspondent bill plante has more for us this morning. bill, good morning. >> good morning, erica. the president has insisted all along that the u.s. guided bombs in india only to protect the lives of innocent civilians from the brutal gadhafi regime. but critics keep asking him what the long-term goals are, what's the exit strategy? over the weekend and on sunday at cbs' "face the nation" secretary of state clinton said that the military intervention is already producing results. >> we have a lot of diplomats and military leaders in libya who are flipping, changing sides, defecting because they see the handwriting on the wall. >> reporter: white house sources tell cbs news the president will say tonight that the u.s. and allied intervention in libya has not only averted a catastrophe, but also advanced american interests. he's likely to point to the

capture over the weekend of the cities of brega and ras lanuf, by anti-gadhafi forces. that area accounts for a substantial chunk of libya's 1.5 million barrels of daily oil exports. which have all but stopped since the uprisings began in mid-february. but despite the military successes, critics say that the president's goal continues to lack focus. on sunday, secretary of state clinton said the mission was humanitarian. last week the president said gadhafi must be removed. >> this policy has been characterized by confusion, indecision, and delay. and it's no wonder, the nature of your question, that americans are confused as to exactly what our policy is, because, on the one hand they say it's humanitarian, on the other hand, they say that gadhafi must go. >> reporter: the next step is getting the u.s. out of the lead. something the president very much wants. the new nato takeover should be complete by wednesday, according to administration officials. so that will help put the u.s. further behind the scenes. erica? >> bill, thanks. bill plante at the white house

this morning. also joining us, cbs news political analyst john dickerson. and john, how does the president, tonight, merge these two goals which were mentioned, the humanitarian -- the humanitarian crisis, and then also the moammar gadhafi leaving? >> not easily. there's always been the tension between the two. what the president will do is say one goal has been achieved, as bill mentioned in his piece, that this humanitarian piece, that the president promised it would be short and a limited enga engagement and it has been. the handever has taken place. it's now with nato. and he will use the full filament of that one promise to say, now my future promises about the policy going forward, you've got to believe those. but the problem is that while the limited initial part of the military operation was fixed and looks like it's over, it's that second part, it's that getting gadhafi out of power, that looks like it could lost for a long time, and there's no clear end state, as they say. >> because there's no clear end state, what else did the

president need to say to the american people tonight? >> well he needs to do two things. one, be very clear about the military role. how much longer will be they involved? what exactly will the military be doing? and to try to get as much shape as he can to what success looks like. what they hope for in the best outcome. but also he needs to rise up a little bit and talk about why he made the decision in the first place. why was it a key national interest to intervene, to stop this massacre, but not so much of a key interest to use the military to get gadhafi out of power? because, in part, what the president's doing is defining his own doctrine and how this might apply to other countries going through similar transformations in middle east and northern africa. >> and how this played out has really been spoken about a lot by lawmakers. congress has been grumbling all along about the way this has been handled. is it likely that they will be satisfied after the president speaks tonight? >> they won't be satisfied at all. there are a lot of -- if people who were irritated in congress on both sides of the aisle that

the white house didn't consult them, and also that there are a lot of big questions being raised here, not just about the specifics of the libya mission and what will happen after the u.s. steps back from its lead role, but how it ends. but also what this means for future policy? and will the presidents not be coming to them for consultation in the future if a similar situation should arise, say, in syria? so they have a lot of questions about what president -- how he views these things, and if each case is decided on the merits at the time, what they can expect in the future. >> john, thanks. we'll be watching with you tonight. john dickerson in washington. join us tonight here on cbs for cbs news special coverage of the president's address. it begins at 7:30 eastern. and then tomorrow i will be sitting down with the president. you can catch my interview with him coming up tuesday on the "cbs evening news," and also wednesday, right here on "the early show." now back to chris in new york. >> all right, erica, thank you. now the latest on the disaster in japan. this morning, work crews are trying to get hundreds of tons

of highly yad yo active water out of a crippled nuclear plant zl there as the radiation threat continues to spread. lucy craft is in tokyo with the very latest this morning. good morning. >> good morning. attention today is focusing on a tunnel that's located between the number two reactor's turbine building and the ocean. the concern is that the tunnel is filling up with contaminated water, highly radioactive water, and that unless this is drained this will end up contaminating both sea water and groundwater. so that's the urgent task at the moment. officials announced monday that radiation from the failed fukushima nuclear plant had seeped into sea water, a mile farther north than previously found. radioactive iodine was discovered offshore at 1,150 times the normal level. contaminated water at the facility itself is a major concern for workers. sunday, false calculations of radiation levels 10 million times higher than normal forced workers to evacuate reactor number 2. authorities later apologized for

the panic, and announced the correct reading was 100,000 times the normal limit. the radiation seems to have come from fuel rods that temporarily melted down and came in contact with water used to cool the reactor, says the cabinet secretary. monday, a 6.5 magnitude quake off the coast of miyagi rocked northeast japan, prompting a brief tsunami warning. there were no immediate reports of damage. officials at the nuclear plant say it will not impact work to stabilize the reactors. newly released video of the march 11th tsunami striking shows just how quickly the wave consumed everything in its path. sweeping away cars and buildings, the coastal city was destroyed. in the face of so much adversity, there are many examples of resilience. "i know many people whose homes have drifted away. they have lost everything. so i want to strongly support them."

three workers who had been hospitalized for radiation exposure were released today. two of the workers have received radiation burns on their legs when the water they were sloshing around in seeped into their shoes. but the doctors say that they're optimistic they'll make a full recovery. although they will keep an eye on them. chris? >> cbs's lucy craft for us in tokyo this morning. thank you. now joining us from washington is nuclear expert james acton. good morning to you once again. >> good morning, chris. >> let's talk about the breaking news we're getting this morning. we're finding out this morning the high levels of radioactive radiation, exceeding 1,000 millisievert per hour found in water in a trench outside of reactor two. i know you've always said if there's radioactivity outside of the reactor then it becomes a really dangerous situation. just how dangerous is this level right now? >> well 100 millisieverts per hour is a large radiation spill

and clearly a matter of severity. you know, the reports that we're getting at the moment are not entirely clear. there's a description of a trench filling up. so if that's right, then at least that water appears to be, for the time being, relatively contained. and the hope will be that they can drain it before it starts spilling out of that trench. >> all of this corrosive radioactive sea water that was additionally dumped on the reactor to cool it in the initial days, now it needs to be disposed of and it's causing another major problem at the reactor right now. so what can the workers do to get rid of this water? where do they put it? >> well, i think that's what they're trying to figure out at the moment. tepco, that's the plant operator, i saw a statement from them yesterday saying that they didn't know yet where they were going to put the water. and you know, if they're emphasizing these plants have been hit by a series of catastrophes, we're way beyond the playbook on any of this and unfortunately the plant operator is being forced to improvise in order to clean up this mess.

>> tepco, they're initially talking about right now this crisis/cleanup taking months, possibly years. what's your sense of a time line? and in the meantime, are we just going to see this -- this plant go from crisis to crisis in the short-term? >> well, i've resisted using this analogy for two weeks now, but it seems to me that at this point, comparing this crisis to the bp oil spill from last summer is appropriate. i mean, this crisis does have the potential to go on certainly for weeks. and possibly for months. now i understand that at the moment radiation levels outside the plant are much higher than they should be but there haven't yet been big, catastrophic releases of radiation. and i think this crisis certainly has the possibility just to continue as it is at the moment with, you know, you have good days and you have bad days. but taking a long time in order to get this plant under control. >> all right. james acton, thank you once again. good to talk with you this morning. >> thank you. >> now here's jeff glor at the news desk with a check of today's other headlines for us this morning. >> chris, good morning to you. good morning, everyone.

two men died after a 25-foot boat capsized off the coast of california. that sailboat flipped over yesterday near shelter island in san diego bay. it sank. eight people were hurt. most of those on board were members of the same family. a fire explosion leveled a three story apartment building in canada yesterday. it happened in woodstock, ontario. seven people are still missing this morning. the cause of that explosion is under investigation. in a san francisco suburb, a man was injured by a bomb hidden in a newspaper in his driveway. it exploded as he reached for the paper. the victim was taken to the hospital. police have not said if he was specifically targeted. at least 20 people were killed during a suicide attack in eastern afghanistan. last night's target was a construction company. three attackers shot their way into the company compound, then detonated a truck full of explosives. some 50 others were hurt. gas prices continue a slow climb up. aa chlt reports the national

average price for a gallon of regular gas is now $3.58 per gallon. that is up 25 cents in a month. "the new york times" reports this morning that former white house press secretary robert gibbs may join facebook. facebook is reportedly interested in having fbis handle the company's communications, and of its first stock offering. meanwhile, the "times" online rolled out its controversial pay wall today. the subscription service allows users to read up to 20 articles a month for free, then they have to pay $15 a month for a prescription. and it's a bracket busting final four in the ncaa tournament. 11th ranked virginia commonwealth defied the odds yesterday, taking out number one seed kansas. the rams stunned the jayhawks 71-61. they'll play butler on saturday. for the first time in 13 years, kentucky also in the final four. the fourth ranked wildcats beat second seeded north carolina 76-69. they now face uconn in the final four again next saturday. 15 minutes past the hour.

we send it back to chris and everyone's bracket is

>> thanks so much. that's your latest weather. chris, i know you can't wait for spring as much as i can't. >> i thought it was official last week. wasn't it? >> well, things are ever hardly official. >> marysol, thank you. still ahead this morning, new information that her supporters believe could set amanda knox free. we're going to talk to her sister about the latest courtroom drama and how amanda is currently tolding up.

and back here in london, we'll take a look just about a month out at how preparations are going for the big day, and whether or not this city is dread zi from a security standpoint. we're going to be joined by the former royal head of security just ahead on "the early show." [ sighs ] morning! mor-ning. i'm your genie. you're wishing for... a tasty fiber cereal? well you don't want that one. kellogg's fiber plus cereal.

the delicious taste of berries, 40% of your daily fiber... plus...wait for it... antioxidants! so, two more wishes! mmmm. mmmm. maybe later, then. [ female announcer ] kellogg's fiber plus cereal. positively delicious.

[ slurping ] ♪ ♪ ♪ oh. thank you, baby. mmm. [ male announcer ] mcdonald's new mccafé shakes. with a fresh look and delicious new toppings, they're a brand-new way to indulge. new mccafé shakes. the simple joy of love at first sight.

and welcome back to "the early show". chris wragge in new york. erica hill is in london. as we get closer to the big day of the royal wedding, security really under the spotlight there right now, huh? >> yeah, it is. there were these massive protests this weekend, chris, on saturday here in london. hundreds of thousands of people turning out. basically, they were protesting government cuts but they turned violent. a number of stores and hotels were vandalized. 200 people arrested. police officers injured. so is the city ready for the

wedding? we'll find out just ahead. >> this portion of "the early show" sponsored by dermatologist developed lubriderm. for skin that looks and feels truly comfortable. lubriderm® daily moisture. s why there's it contains the same nutrients naturally found in healthy skin. skin absorbs it better and it lasts for 24 hours. later gator. lubriderm. your moisture matched. [ water running ] [ indistinct talking on television ] hola padre. hola. [ male announcer ] you do everything so they're at their best. so start their big days with the incredible protein. eggs. but we all know kids would rather they just disappear. ♪ make me say la la la la la la ♪

[ woman ] now with a little magic from mom, there's an easy way to get kids the nutrition they need. mott's medleys has two total fruit and veggie servings in every glass but magically looks and tastes just like the fruit juice kids already love. mott's medleys. ♪ la la la [ woman ] invisible vegetables. magical taste. how can expedia now save me even more on my hotel? well, hotels know they can't fill every room every day. like this one. and this one. and oops, my bad. so, they give expedia ginormous discounts with these: unpublished rates. which means i get an even more rockin' hotel, for less. my brain didn't even break a sweat. where you book matters. expedia. all day, every day. share one of five appetizers, like our texas cheese fries.

then choose two freshly prepared entrees from 14 chili's favorites. like our honey chipotle chicken crispers or our famous baby back ribs. slow-smoked till they're fall-off-the-bone tender. or grilled all-white-meat chicken fajitas served over a bed of sizzling peppers and onions. the $20 dinner for two. now part of our menu all day, every day, only at chili's.

it's 7:25. this is the last monday in march energy it's pretty cold. let lease -- let's look at the forecast today. 29degrees now. normally, it should be about 37 or 48 -- 38 degrees. sunshine and passing fair weather clouds. now, welcome back, sharon gibala. hey, there, marty. a few accidents could get in your way this morning. en one on 295 past 97 blocking the left lane. there's also a wreck on 57

southbound. all lanes are opened now. that's a back up on west street. two discepts in the city on the, two accidents in the city on west park road. one on walkman valley and typical delays on 95 and the beltway. this is brought to you by american limousines. american limousines can cover all of your transportation needs. back to you. thank you. in the new, renewed concerns over radiation coming from japan. this morning, small amounts are detect here in maryland -- detected here in maryland. >> reporter: there's no need to worry, but small amounts of radiation have been detected.

in maryland, there's no radiation from rain water, again, this is not in harmful levels. it's diluted as it travels over the pacific. the water and food supply is safe. they'll continue to do tests every day. a payday gambling party is busted up. the department of transportation employees were spotted drinking champagne and playing dice on the job. none of the workers will be reporting to the job today. gas prices are stabilizing. the gas prices are up only a penny from last week. this comes as the state lawmakers debate a gas tax increase. gourmet food companies -- harry and david is going bankrupt.

there's a harry and david store in towson town center. this comes in the wake of this comes in the wake of disappointing holiday sales. ,,, you want to get a great looking lawn like this,

but trying to grow grass from seed in tough areas like deep shade, along the driveway, and where the kids play can be a little intimidating... until now, with scotts ez seed. it's so revolutionary, it's guaranteed to grow grass... anywhere. that's because ez seed is a high performance mix of scotts best grass seed, starter fertilizer and a super absorbent growing material that absorbs water and expands to surround and protect the seeds, so you can grow thick, beautiful grass in even the toughest areas. the scotts ez seed mix even lightens in color to tell you when it's time to water. it's so fool-proof you'll get a thick, green scotts lawn even if you've never been successful with other seed before. the revolutionary scotts ez seed,

you're guaranteed to be able to grow grass anywhere. go online to get a coupon for $5 off the purchase of scotts ez seed. ♪ and there you have it, a live look at buckingham palace. preparations under way across london for the royal wedding, which is just about a month away. as we are getting inside scoop on those preparations coming up, including the security. good morning again from london. i'm erica hill. chris wragge in new york this morning. chris, good morning, again. >> erica, good morning. we're going to get back to you in just a couple of minutes. first we want to get to jeff glor at the news desk with another look at our top headlines this morning. >> chris, good morning once again. good morning, everyone. in libya, moammar gadhafi's forces appear to be losing ground rapidly. allied air raids bombed

gadhafi's hometown sirte last night. some reports indicate the city has already been captured by rebels. earlier rebel forces regained control of two key oil ports, ras lanuf and brega. this morning, libyan state tv says that western jets hit the southern city of sabaa and it says there are civilian casualties. in japan, radiation levels at the fukushima nuclear power plant have reached a new high, 100,000 times normal. and the radiation is spreading, moving farther north of the plant in the sea. today workers are trying to pump radioactive water out. meantime, toyota workers in japan are back on the job this morning. as production resumed at plants

it's cold, temperatures are about 29, should be 37 degrees this time of the day on this, the 28th day of march. 48, sunshine and passing fair weather clouds and tonight, clear and partly cloudy, 27. tomorrow, a high of 50 and rain on wednesday. it remains chilly. with just about a month to go before the royal wedding, london is gearing up for one of the largest events in the uk's 2000 year history, in england's 2000 year history. souvenir stands are stocking up, monuments are getting a fresh buffing and coat of paint and there's also renewed focus on security and just how prepared london is from that angle. kelly cobiella joins us now. nice to see you. nice to be here with you. you're taking a look at whether

or not london is actually prepared at this point for the upcoming wedding. >> that's right, erica. and london security was really put to the test over the weekend when nearly half a million people filled the streets to protest. it did not end well. and even larger numbers are expected on the wedding day. it's these chaotic scenes of violence and looting that have british authorities on edge. weekend protests against budget cuts saw the streets of london besieged with 450,000 people. more than 200 arrests were made. and scotland yard is now warning that violent anarchists might be targeting the royal wedding. the city will spend $33 million on security to make sure william and kate don't run into the same problems as charles and camilla, when protesters managed to disrupt their motorcade last december. there will be snipers on rooftops, barricades on the wedding route, and armed police dressed as royal footmen on kate and wills' carriage. >> it won't be a question of the royal wedding, i think people

must be prepared now to be searched and there will be a much, much heavier police presence than there was 30 years ago for charles and diana. >> reporter: the wedding is expected to have a worldwide viewing audience of 4 billion people. london is anticipating a crowd of 600,000. the same number that celebrated prince charles and lady diana's marriage. along with an economic boost of $80 million. >> the royal wedding is going to be fantastic. we're expecting hundreds of thousands of people to come to london. the transport is going to run on rails, we're making sure of that. there's going to be street parties around the city, and i very much hope people will enjoy themselves in a dignified fashion. >> reporter: with the big day quickly approaching, london has wedding fever. souvenir stands are stocking up on everything will and kate. coffee mugs, ashtrays, even dish rags. and sparkling imitations. workers are preparing the grounds along the wedding procession, and polishing the royal carriage that will take the newlyweds to buckingham

palace. but with the world's eyes focused on the british capital, it will take more than just pomp and circumstance to make this wedding perfect. london, of course, is preparing for about 600,000 people on that day. but the crowds could be smaller. even at this late date, hotels are not sold out here, erica. about 100,000 rooms are veil available. >> there's still a chance to get here. kelly cobiella, thanks. as kelly talked a lot about in her piece, of course, there is so much renewed focus this weekend after what happened with the demonstrations here this weekend. in fact, scotland yard telling cbs that it was really this litmus test or whether or not there would be violence. if that was the test, the answer may be clear. we want to get a closer look at security, how it will be handled. dai davies is the former head of royal security. you held that position for four years in the '90s, including princess diana's death. you have a really keen sense of

what is needed. good morning. thanks for being with us. >> good morning to you. >> when you look at what happened over the weekend, is this city, is this country prepared for the royal wedding? >> yes, it is. i am convinced that my former colleagues at scotland yard will get their act together. i think the events of the weekend were most distasteful. i think that will act as a prelude to getting the act together. and, indeed, i think they'll put even more police officers on the streets now. there will be a ring of blue around this whole area, and i'm happy that the metropolitan police will do their job well. >> there was another little bit of a test earlier here, not too long ago, when the car of prince charles and camilla was actually attacked. and i know that you have some issues about the fact that it even was attacked in the first place. >> well, absolutely. i think whoever was in charge on that day clearly got it hugely wrong. and i've no doubt heads have literally fallen as a consequence. and, again, the prince and his wife shouldn't have been in a car like that in that scenario. they shouldn't have been

anywhere near it. i simply could not understand how royalty would allow the situation to happen. i've no doubt they will get it right. and they'll get it right for the wedding. >> that car is being fixed. of course kate middleton is going to be taking it to westminster abbey. but when she and her new husband leave westminster abbey, they're going to be riding in an open carriage which a lot of people have said, how could we let this happen? it seems so dangerous to allow them to ride through the streets of london like that. do you have any concerns in this day and age about that? >> again, they will take huge precautions to assure they are as safe as is humanly possible to do. there will be thousands of policemen on duty, there will be marksmen en route, there will be plainclothes officers. you name it. this government and this nation can't get this wrong. the world and its eyes are on us. the metropolitan police, royalty protection, have to get it right. and i'm happy they will. >> how many people are within the royal force? because they're pairing with everybody else. >> as a total command it's anything between 500 to 550. but the whole inspector's command and the protection

command is much bigger, several thousand. but they will be supplemented by order near officers who are the eyes and ears. they will act as the outer cordons and the inner cordons will be protected by the police, and indeed aid and abetted by the military. >> quite an effort to coordinate. thanks for giving us a taste of what is ahead for them. >> thank you very much. >> just ahead this morning on "the early show," there is important new testimony in the amanda knox trial, in her case. her sister now telling us how this new evidence, testimony could possibly turn the case in her sister's favor. you're watching "the early show" on cbs. we all want our kids to eat their vegetables, but we all know kids would rather they just disappear. ♪ make me say la la la la la la ♪ [ woman ] now with a little magic from mom, there's an easy way to get kids the nutrition they need. mott's medleys has two total fruit and veggie servings in every glass but magically looks and tastes just like the fruit juice kids already love. mott's medleys. ♪ la la la

[ woman ] invisible vegetables. magical taste. when you've lost interest in everything. when you've had one too many days feeling sad or anxious... aches and pains, fatigue. when it becomes hard to ignore that you need help. that's the day you do something. depression hurts. cymbalta can help with many symptoms of depression. tell your doctor right away if your depression worsens, you have unusual changes in behavior or thoughts of suicide. antidepressants can increase these in children, teens, and young adults. cymbalta is not approved for children under 18. people taking maois or thioridazine or with uncontrolled glaucoma should not take cymbalta. taking it with nsaid pain relievers, aspirin, or blood thinners may increase bleeding risk.

severe liver problems, some fatal, were reported. signs include abdominal pain and yellowing of the skin or eyes. talk with your doctor about your medicines, including those for migraine, or if you have high fever, confusion and stiff muscles, to address a possible life-threatening condition. tell your doctor about alcohol use, liver disease, and before you reduce or stop taking cymbalta. dizziness or fainting may occur upon standing. side effects include nausea, dry mouth, and constipation. is today your day? talk to your doctor... and go to cymbalta.com for a free 30-capsule trial offer. depression hurts. cymbalta can help. creme body wash with nutrium moisture. after 1 week we took their close-ups. when they saw how much more beautiful their skin looked they had only one question... ♪ new dove visible care creme body wash. so, i get claritin clear. non-drowsy claritin relieves my worst symptoms. and only claritin is proven to keep me as alert and focused as someone without allergies.

whoa ! watch your step ! thanks ! live claritin clear. a big development over the weekend in the amanda knox murder case in italy. the college student from seattle is appealing her 26-year sentence for the killing of her roommate, meredith kercher. now in court testimony saturday knox's lawyers exposed a ski prosecution eyewitness antonio care toeo as a her wane addict who couldn't recall crucial details from the night of the murder. joining us from perugia, italy, renow with the reaction is

amanda's sister deanna knox. mr. curatolo raised some alarming doubts about his credibility over the weekend. what do you think means for your sister's case as you move forward? >> well, i mean he basically blew the whole prosecution's case right then and there. he got his dates mixed up. he said he was on drugs at the time. he was recalling that people were in costumes on halloween, which was actually the day after. so he pretty much blew every credibility that he had. >> being in the courtroom, did you feel as though this was a kind of this huge game changing type moment? >> yeah, really was. it was one of those moments for me, well it was like, wow, my sister could really be out soon. which is really exciting. and i know our lawyers were happy. and our family was happy. >> were you surprised it took this long to figure out that this witness lacked the credibility that was really needed to put your sister away in the first place? >> well, i mean, this whole

process has taken a lot longer than we all thought it would be. we all know that amanda's innocent, and it's taken three years for the whole trial anyway. not to mention just one little witness. so, we're all a little confused why it took this long. but we're happy it's coming out at least now. >> i know you mentioned a second ago about the potential of your sister coming home. you've seen firsthand how the court system there works and how your sister has been treated throughout the process. even with these developments, do you honestly believe that your sister is coming home? >> yes. you have to keep up the best hopes that she'll be home any day. if you focus on the fact that she's here, you never make it through. so i think every day that sometime around summer that my sister will be home. >> you had a chance to speak with her. can we ask how she's holding up? how is she doing? how is her mood or demeanor changed lately? >> well, she's still really nervous about the appeals process.

she thought that she should have been out the first time. so she's a little nervous still, that they're not going to get it quite right. but she seems confident. she's confident in her innocence, and she was just really happy to see her family. so it was nice to see her that way. >> well, deanna, we thank you for taking the time and speaking with us this morning. deanna knox in perugia italy, for us. joining us now in the studio is cbs news legal analyst jack ford. i posed the question to deanna a second ago, is this a game changer? >> it might be, chris. you've got to remember the system is very different over there. her appeal is essentially a second trial, new jurors, new judges, and the conviction was based on circumstantial evidence. you know, direct evidence is either you confessed to a crime or somebody says i saw them committing the killing. circumstantial is bits and pieces that you put together to form a picture. and here the first time around the picture was enough for her to be convicted. but they're starting to chip away at that picture here. and significantly, as we heard. >> this antonio curatolo, he's been a key witness in a number of different murder trials. it looks like he's been kind of

there for the prosecution on a number of different times. how did they not know that he would -- >> that's a tough question to answer. because as we heard just a few moments ago, this time around, they've challenged him that he had the wrong date, he had wrong details, and admitted to being a heroin addict at the time. you know what, as a prosecutor i have to rely on some pretty shaky witnesses sometimes. i don't think i ever had somebody such as this. when you take away a so-called eyewitness like that, that's a significant loss for the prosecution. >> okay. you put all these developments together, because there's also an independent forensic expert that's actually going to testify in may as to what dna is on the alleged murder weapon. put all this together, what does this mean, given what we know about the italian court systems and how this young lady has been treated? >> trying to take all the circumstantial evidence, you mention the forensics. it's being reported that independents, this time around the court ordered that the tests be done by independent experts. not for the prosecution or defense, and they're apparently raising questions whether there's even nearly enough evidence, dna evidence on this

knife blade to point to amanda knox. and they're going to challenge the process before it. if you pull that out of the case, if you pull the eyewitness out of the case or at least raise significant questions about the two of them, you've put them in a situation now where amanda knox, if i'm her attorney, i'm a lot more confident that she might be coming home. >> all right, jack ford. thank you. good to see you. we'll be right back. this is "the early show" here on cbs. stay with us. raise significant questions this is "the early show" here on

announcer: naturals from purina cat chow. delicious, real ingredients with no artificial flavors or preservatives. naturals from purina cat chow. share a better life. and i wondered what it was. i found out that connected to our muscles are nerves that send messages through the body. my doctor diagnosed it as fibromyalgia, thought to be the result of overactive nerves that cause chronic, widespread pain. lyrica is believed to calm these nerves. i learned lyrica can provide significant relief from fibromyalgia pain. and less pain means i can do more with the ones i love.

[ female announcer ] lyrica is not for everyone. lyrica may cause serious allergic reactions or suicidal thoughts or actions. tell your doctor right away if you have these, new or worsening depression, or unusual changes in mood or behavior or any swelling or affected breathing, or skin, or changes in eyesight, including blurry vision or muscle pain with fever or tired feeling. common side effects are dizziness, sleepiness, weight gain and swelling of hands, legs and feet. don't drink alcohol while taking lyrica. don't drive or use machinery until you know how lyrica affects you. i found answers about fibromyalgia. then i found lyrica. ask your doctor about lyrica today. ♪ edible arrangements bouquets. happiness is always in season. call, click, or come into the location near you.

welcome back to "the rly show." chris wragge here in new york, erica hill is in london right now. erica reports said the bachelor party took place this weekend. i'm sure it's on the front page of the paper. the question is what is on the front page of the paper? >> you are right. there's a picture on the front page of the paper. this is what i was greeted with this morning in my hotel room. clarence house, which is, of course, you know, related to prince charles. they offer up the information. they confirmed there was a bachelor party and that's about all the information that they're letting us know. we got about 20 people. as for what happened? it is the great mystery. but we do have a few other

details we can offer you on preparations ahead of this. that's still to come on "the early show." that's still to come on "the early show." >> all right. but you may not know it can also mean destruction. not just of your joints, but of the things you love to do. and the longer you live with the aching, swelling, and stiffness, the closer you may be to having your favorite things... taken away from you. but you can take action today. go to ra.com for your free joint profile so you can better talk to your rheumatologist about protecting your joints. ♪ that comes from a leaf sweet surprise ♪rue love ♪ ♪ it's natural, guilt-free no artificiality ♪ ♪ it won't land on my hips or my thighs ♪ [ announcer ] truvia. honestly sweet. aren't absorbed properly unless taken with food. he recommended citracal. it's different -- it's calcium citrate, so it can be absorbed with or without food. also available in small, easy-to-swallow petites.

citracal. ,, i wonder who it was that first put a strip of bacon next to an egg. which came first? the bacon or the egg? i know what's going down first. denny's. america's diner is always open.

♪ i was diagnosed with copd. i could not take a deep breath i noticed i was having trouble. climbing the stairs, working in the garden, painting. my doctor suggested spiriva right then. announcer: spiriva is the only once-daily inhaled maintenance treatment for copd, which includes chronic bronchitis and emphysema. i love what it does. it opens up the airways. announcer: spiriva does not replace fast-acting inhalers for sudden symptoms. stop taking spiriva and call your doctor right away if your breathing suddenly worsens, your throat or tongue swells, you get hives, have vision changes or eye pain, or have problems passing urine. tell your doctor if you have glaucoma, problems passing urine, or an enlarged prostate, as these may worsen with spiriva. also, discuss the medicines you take, even eye drops. side effects include dry mouth, constipation, and trouble passing urine.

it makes me breathe easier. i can't do everything i used to do. but there's a lot i can do that i was struggling with. announcer: ask your doctor if once-daily spiriva is right for you.

we're about 20 below normal today. we'll have a a few fair weather clouds today. we're looking at jams in a few spots. that's because of an accident at 295 at southbound 197. that's the left lane block with

a backup to salvage road. west parkway at falls road, another accident at referty road -- reverty road. that's at deep run road also. 95 southbound, you're looking -- at an 8 minute delay. that's liberty road. there's a look at 295. and this is brought to you by bill's carpet. bills has it all for you. call for more information. back to you, don. radiation leaked from japan's nuclear power plant is detected here in maryland in small amounts. >> reporter: there's no need to worry, but there have been detections of rain water. it's about 25 times below the levels that could cause health problems. there are small amounts of

radiation detected in rain water. one of the facilities is emitting radiation about 100,000 times above normal. it's diluted though. the water and food supply is safe here. don? it's been three months since anyone's seen phylicia barnes. the 17-year-old vanished while visiting her sister. the police don't have any useful tips in the search for her. the reward is now up to $35,000. [anchor speaking very low] ,

welcome back to "the early show" here on a beautiful monday morning. nice and clear out there here in new york. albeit still a little cold. i'm chris wragge in new york. as you can see, erica hill is in lovely london for us this morning. and we will get to erica in just a moment. but coming up first here, it's hard to imagine something as heartless as telling a childless couple you're pregnant and promising that they can adopt a baby. that's exactly what one missouri woman allegedly did. and there are other adoption scams out there, as well. we have a cbs news investigation and we're going to meet the heartbroken couple at the center of this disturbing story. erica?

zblrk and chris here in london, where it is a beautiful day, we are going to bring you the very latest on the upcoming royal wedding. all things will and kate, including some information on the stag party, the bachelor party which was had over the weekend for prince william. details on the cake. and perhaps whether or not kate may be having a little party of her own. she could have a so-called hen weekend like a bachelorette party? we'll ask our royal expert. >> first, jeff glor at the news desk with another check of the headlines for us. >> chris, good morning to you. this morning, libyan rebels are advancing under the cover of allied air support. moammar gadhafi's hometown sirte was bombed by allied warplanes for the first time today. earlier rebel troops recaptured two key oil ports, ras lanuf and brega. nato is now assuming full command of the allied air operation. secretary of state hillary clinton says the air strikes are working, but she says there's more to the operation.

>> we have very tough sanctions that are ferreting out and freezing gadhafi and gadhafi family assets. we have a lot of diplomats and military leaders in libya who are flipping, changing sides, defecting because they see the handwriting on the wall. >> tonight, president obama explains his libya policy in a televised address. the president has come under criticism for failing to clearly communicate the mission's goals. >> this policy has been characterized by confusion, indecision, and delay. >> cbs news will have special coverage of the president's address beginning tonight at 7:30 eastern time. also in the region, syrian president bashir al assad is expected to announce what his officials describe as important decisions in the next two days that he says will please the syrian people. this morning, a new report said syrian security forces opened fire on demonstrators. new concerns in japan this morning at the crippled fukushima nuclear power plant. the radiation levels have tested 100,000 times higher than

normal. radiation has now spread into the sea and it's moving north of the plant, they say. today workers resumed pumping radioactive water out of the reactors before they can turn on the cooling system. and fears of radiation are spreading to the u.s. after radio iodine 131 was found in a sample of rain water in massachusetts. the concentrations of radiation are said to be very low, and likely from japan's damaged power plant, though. officials reassured people, they say, it poses no possible lick health risk. >> we want to emphasize that the sampling results indicate no risk to the state's drinking water supply. the drinking water supply in massachusetts is unaffected by this short-term, slight elevation in radiation. >> there was a demonstration this morning that marked the anniversary of the worst nuclear accident in u.s. history. dozens of protesters in pennsylvania turned out this morning. it was 32 years ago today three mile island suffered a partial

meltdown. it is three minutes past the hour right now. back over to chris, and marysol. good morning. >> all right, jeff. >> good morning, jeff.

i'm going to make it easier. stay out of march. take a look at the forecast today. it will go for a high of 38. it's about 30 now. mixture of sun and passing fair weather clouds. tonight, march is moving back. the normals are 38 and 58. march continues to act like it. sunny >> this weather report sponsored by mercedes-benz. experience truly great engineering today at your authorized dealer. >> thanks so much. that's your latest weather. chris? >> marysol, thank you. see you in a couple of minutes. coming up next here on "the early show," a cbs news investigation of adoption fraud. we're going to meet a couple who wanted to start a family but fell victim to one of the cruelest scams around. this is "the early show" on cbs.

♪ professional driver on a closed course. ♪ do not attempt at home. always wear your seat belt. ♪ and please drive responsibly. [ male announcer ] it's the most fun you can legally have. see your authorized mercedes-benz dealer for exceptional offers on the c-class.

[ announcer ]ur authorized who could resist the call... of america's number-one puppy food brand? with dha and essential nutrients also found in mother's milk. purina puppy chow. it gets alit. eaner

rand. constipated? phillips' caplets use magnesium, an ingredient that works more naturally with your colon than stimulant laxatives, for effective relief of constipation without cramps. thanks. [ professor ] good morning students. today, we're gonna...

in this morning's "healthwatch," adoption fraud. adopting a child is an emotional process and con artists are ready to take advantage of that. cbs news chief investigative correspondent armen keteyian reports on an undercover investigation of one such adoption scam. >> go get it. >> reporter: after four frustrating years trying to have children of their own -- >> that's a good boy. >> reporter: holly and mark gonzales decided to try adoption. then last month they got a call they had been waiting for. from a woman who said her name was christy bent. >> she's got it all together. and she sounded fantastic. she couldn't keep the babies because they couldn't afford it. >> reporter: bennett said she was pregnant, with a boy and a girl. >> a half an hour later she sent me a text message saying i think you're going to be great parents to the twins. >> reporter: but the promise of

twins turned out to be as empty as their nursery. the expectant mother on the phone, actually a kansas city con artist named roxanne janle jones. driven by greed. >> need $100 right now. >> reporter: posing as a mother looking to adopt, we found and made contact with jones. who told our producer her name was not christy bennett, but cindy stevens. >> give me a hug. >> reporter: leading to this face-to-face meeting in a hotel suite, wired with hidden cameras. >> you're having twins not triplets? >> twins. a boy and a girl. >> a boy and a girl? >> you've got the sonograms? >> oh, yeah -- i don't have them. my doctor has them in the file. >> but they're healthy? >> very much so. >> how shall we do it then? would you allow my husband and i to be in the room? >> i want you guys to be in there. i want both of you to be in the delivery room. the doctors can hand the baby to you guys. >> reporter: and as we discovered, what jones did to the gonzaleses, and was trying to do to us -- >> i don't ever want them to

feel that i didn't love them. >> reporter: had been done many times before. armen keteyian, cbs news, kansas city, missouri. >> and you can see armen's full report on adoption scams tonight on the "cbs evening news" with katie couric. holly and mark gonzales join us now along with adam pertman, executive director of the evan b. donaldson adoption institute. he is the author of "adoption nation: how the adoption revolution is transforming our families and america." good morning to the three of you. holly, i can see you getting emotional by watching that report. you see that and you see what this woman did, obviously did to you. what are your thoughts when you see her basically taking this scam now to other families? just so happens to be one of our behind-the-scenes producers. >> it was so -- watching her right now again, she said the exact same things to us. exactly the same things. i want you to be in the room. she was just really compelling, and it's very hard to watch. it's hard to watch again. >> to go back and think of all -- i mean, i could see the

two of you sitting, saying she did that exact same thing to us. >> she did. >> exactly the lines. >> she's got this down pat. why did she seem so convincing, do you think, when you look back? >> i think she had it practiced. i think she had it completely -- she had the routine down. she knew exactly what to say. and i think she kept to the same story very, very often. that's just in that little clip right there basically she's saying the same thing she said to us. >> do you harbor more anger by seeing her? up to this dirty trick? with other people? >> yeah, yeah. >> it's difficult. >> mark, what's it been like? you went through this just like -- for couples to have to go through something like this when you've been trying so long to have a baby. >> it just really kind of sets you back. you really were excited about having the opportunity to get twins. girls, no less, and when that was taken from you, it just -- you got to start all over again, and kind of seeing that just

brings back all that emotion. >> were there any times, holly, during the process where there was a red flag raised that said, you know what, this seems so great, but now -- >> there were several red flags. and we chose to ignore them, because we -- because of the hopes that this was happening. there were things, you couldn't reach her on a cell phone. every time she would call you, the calls were dropped. you could text her. and then she may answer. she may have a friend answer for her. yeah, there were many red flags. >> is it the euphoria of knowing that you're so close, is that what makes you look the other way with something, with some of the red flags? at any point did you say, you know what, we really need to kind of step back with our expectations here? >> yeah. they got so blatant we just really had to say, enough was enough. and you can't ignore them too much longer. but, you really want to believe. that's why you ignore them. for so long. because, this is something we wanted for quite a long time, and you're so close, you can --

everything's happening, and then it just -- you got to stop and say, enough is enough. >> adam, you've seen this happen time and time again with couples that are getting scammed like this. do you have tips for folks out there? >> i do. it's worth saying that it doesn't happen often, if that's merciful. there are bad people out there. there are bad people in journalism, in medicine, on the internet, getting old people's money through bank accounts when they promised a million bucks. in our world, in the adoption world, unfortunately, the consequences are so hugely emotional. that it can be blinding. and we can miss red flags. >> what do you tell people to look out for? >> first and -- well, i don't tell them to look out, per se, because you see the red flags because they're there. number three on the list of things to do is, well, let's go one, two, three. first educate yourself. you know, too many people go in to this process of being an adoptive parent thinking, all i need to do is pay my agency, pay my facilitator and it goes. you put more time and effort,

finding a new doctor, buying a new car. and you need to really educate yourself with internet resources, support groups, there's lots of good stuff. >> yeah. >> second, absolutely engage a professional. >> yes. >> you're not a pro at this just because you want to be a parent. and third, and this is gets to the point of the red flags, have your radar up. if something seems to good to be true, whether you're a birth mother, a preadoptive parent, whoever you are, if it seems to good to be true, it's probably too good to be true. >> thank you for your expertise. before we say good-bye to you guys. still going to keep at it? keep trying. >> oh, definitely. >> yeah, our baby is out there somewhere. we'll find him. >> thank you for being with us, holly, mark, good to see you both. i wish you continued success. >> all right. when we come back on "the early show" we're going to go back to london for the latest on the royal wedding. everything from a secret bachelor party to the vows at the church. this is "the early show" here on cbs. >> "cbs healthwatch" sponsored

by therm acare heat wraps. all day back pain relief without fills. no pills, no pain. just relief. around the clock? ills try thermacare heatwraps, for all day relief without pills. i was surprised, thermacare worked all day. you feel the heat. and it relaxes and unlocks the muscle. you've got to try it. [ man ] thermacare, more effective for back pain than the maximum dose of acetaminophen, the medicine in tylenol. go to thermacare.com today for a $3 off coupon. thermacare. no pills. no pain. just relief.

thermacare.

and here we are out in front of buckingham palace as all of london, and frankly the world, is preparing for the royal wedding which is just about a month away now. we're joined now by cbs news royal contributor victoria arbiter. victoria, it was an exciting weekend to be in london, so much going on, but we had a few details trickle out over the weekend. most notably information on the bachelor party, which did happen. >> it did happen. yes, it did. and it was a very well-kept secret. we only got confirmation this morning. when harry was announced as the best man, i think guys around the world were thinking, that's the bachelor party i want to go to. they're known for clubbing. it was a very demure, low key. the usual crew were in attendance, thomas, one of william's very close friends,

guy penny. james meade was there, and also kate's brother. so they went for shooting and outdoor active if i weekend in norfolk at a friend's estate. >> there were about 20 of them. >> yes. >> fairly low key, and i imagine there won't be any pictures that sneak out from that one likely. >> i doubt it. william has got such a loyal group of friends. i think we'll just have to imagine that one. >> in the states there's a bachelorette party. here it's more of a hen weekend. does she have something planned? >> she'll definitely have a hen weekend. it won't be what a lot of british brides are used to. but apparently kate has reserved places at four different sites in london. she's going to tell the girls on the day where they need to be and exactly what the activities are. and they've also mentioned having a dirty dancing themed party at the home of kate's mother, and that will include more closer relatives. >> so -- >> from the movie. >> there you go. the parties seem to happen a little bit early on, a month out from the wedding for williams. but that's because he had some other duties. >> he does.

and there's a lot going on between now and the wedding. harry needs to go to an expedition to the north pole for four wounded vets. they're raising money for charity. the weekend before the wedding is easter. it would be a little unseemly for the future head of the church of england to be out getting bombed that weekend. and harry has his commitments to the royal air force. >> there's some speculation about their vows. i was at westminster abbey this morning with the very reverend dean and asked him whether or not there would be any changes. you can't change much about the marriage ceremony in the church of england. >> that's right. we're very, very traditional here. and it's rare for couples to write their own vows. the queen and princess anne both had very traditional vows where you promise to love, cherish and obey. it seems a little archaic these days. diana was the first and only royal bride to omit the word obey. william is the future king of england. i hope kate stays modern and doesn't do it. >> we will see.

there's been a little bit more leaking out about the relationship between keet and her future mother-in-law, really, camilla. and they seem to have kind of a nice relationship. >> they really do. and i think camilla has taken on the role of mentor almost. she knows how hard it is not only to enter the royal family but prepare yourself to be the future potentially queen of england. diana, it was sort of get married and go. she was just left to her own devices, which was incredibly difficult. camilla has helped kate tremendously, and in return kate has had a few nords towards camilla. her oldest granddaughter is one of the bridesmaids. she's only 3. and the london chamber orchestra playing, camilla is their patron. >> and nice to incorporate her. we also know there will be two choirs at the service and at the abbey. the westminster choir. >> that's right. and the chapel royal choir, mostly children, a few adults. what i really like about the music, the band from the royal air force.

so again, it seems that william and kate are really trying to include everybody that's special in their lives in this service. >> that they are. elton john is reportedly throwing them a big party, inviting lots of people. does that come as a surprise? >> i think it's a little bit surprising. but elton john was a great friend of diana. he's not confirmed his party yet but he's known for legendary parties. he lives in windsor so it's just a stone's throw from the royal residents. victoria and david beckham are great friends of elton john as well and they're supposedly going. i feel for victoria beckham because she is said to be pregnant, but these pictures are going to last forever and i'm not sure she wants to be so pregnant. >> i have an idea if anyone is going to look good and glow, it's going to be victoria beckham. we have a few treats here, as well. we're learning some details as to the cakes, fleur, which will be served at the preexception. not only traditional fruit cakes, but also a cake made with these chocolate biscuits. one of william's favorites.

maybe what we consider the groom's cake in the states. we'll have a little taste and a little more information on that for you coming up right here on "the early show" where we are live in london this morning. [ male announcer ] are you watching cable?

here's what you should be watching: your cable bill. because you could be paying way too much. stop spending more for second best. upgrade to verizon fios and get tv, internet and phone for just $99.99 a month for a year. call now and get this special bonus: $100 back. fios is a 100% fiber-optic network that delivers superior picture quality, the best channel lineup, more hd, plus the fastest internet in the u.s. there's no term contract required. why keep paying for cable? get fios tv, internet and phone -- for just $99.99 a month, plus $100 back. this is a limited time offer, so don't wait. call 1.888.884.fios. call the verizon center for customers with disabilities that's 1.888.884.3467. at 800-974-6006 tty/v.

get the network that delivers more. get fios. a network ahead. it's 8:25 as you look at a mix of clouds overhead. it's a cold and murky morning. well, the one saving grace is that the winds are calm. it's going to be straight out. a high of 48 degrees today. no wind head on. it's a chilly 48 degrees and ten degrees below normal. hi, there, marty, we're following an accident on 198. you're still looking at a slight delay back to 32. watch for two wrecks in the

city at falls road and eastern northern parkway at referty. meantime, a disabled vehicle on 50 westbound on the bay bridge. 95 southbound, up to an 18 minute delay up to whitemarsh and 70 eastbound, slow from 32 to 29. there's a look at the drive times and the speeds are starting to get better. there's the northwestside. this is brought to you by loyola school of education. back to you, don. concerns this morning after small amounts of radiation detected in japan. andrea fujii stays on the story. >> reporter: don, health officials say there's no need to worry. they've detected radiation in rain water in several north east states. in maryland, there's no radiation in rain water, but small amounts are detected around the nuclear plant.

not at harmful levels though. >> the radiation is diluted as it travels over the pacific. here, our water and food supply is safe. don? thank you, and the city police are looking into a murder in hampden where a man was found dead. there are a few details and right now, the investigators are calling the death suspicious. and the police are investigating the death of a 17- year-old in north east baltimore. the teen was found dead inside of a car and another teen was shot in the arm. no arrests have been made in either case. spring is here and maryland health officials are warning about ticks. the lime disease carrying parasites have been spotted throughout the state. if you're going to be outside, wear a repellent with deet in it. stay with wjz, maryland's news station.

up next, we'll look at a study about what americans regret the most. we'll also look at the royal wedding cake. ,,,, 3q odors... my busy family has them. so it's a good thing our new air wick odor detect senses thousands of odors. and automatically releases a burst of freshness... that everyone can enjoy.

♪ do you love me do you love me ♪ >> a little dirty dancing there for you. why, you ask? at the bottom of the hour here on "the early show," well because we just learned that reportedly kate middleton's hen weekend, her version of a bachelorette party, will have a

dirty dancing theme. >> all right. >> so there you have it. i'm erica hill live in london this morning. and very soon the royals will be seeing the wedding cake. we have a lovely little bit of some desserts here, cakes that have been made by the cake designer who is said to be -- who will be doing the cakes for the royal couple. also some diskettes here which william has requested his cake be made out of. so two cakes we're going to tell you about this morning. and we'll take a closer look at the often talked about style of the soon-to-be princess. one kate middleton and what makes her such an icon. and what we may be able to expert from her wedding dress, guys. good morning again. >> lots to talk about, erica. good morning to you again. shots look great out there, too. looks like you're having fun. is that accurate? >> it's really -- it's just a terrible assignment. work, work, work. >> you stay there comfortably in london. leave it to us to slum it back here in new york. >> yeah, yeah. >> pick things up here as best we can. also ahead, you spend a lot of

time on the old coulda, woulda shoulda? >> no. >> the new survey about regret finds people would like to redo many of their most important decision, everything from work to family to romance. we'll look at the top five regrets people have and make sure they don't stop you from moving forward. >> as we move forward. >> we won't regret the dirty dancing hen party, right? >> never. >> we'll see. >> never. >> marysol castro is with us to talk a little weather this morning. there are plen

all right, you're looking at a bit of a flow. it's a chilly morning and we're in the mid-30s. it's not like i'll throw the windchill down on that. we're at about 10 degrees below normal. tonight, clear skies and 27. the ten degree below >> thanks so much.

that's your latest weather. now back over the pond to check in with erica. i miss you. i need some girl power here with these two. >> mary, thanks. don't worry, i'm coming back. and i've even found you a present. don't tell the boys. time now for a little cake. we learned over the weekend, that william will have one cake. kate has chosen another. so here to help us take a closer look at those choices is food archaeologist and historian marc meltonville. you actually work at hampton court palace. it's a major tourist attraction outside of london, a tudor palace. >> absolutely. >> you have a great grasp of all things not only food but history when it comes to royals and wedding cakes. cake has chosen a traditional fruit cake. this would not be traditional in the u.s. for a wedding cake. why is it a tradition here? >> i think there's a number of reasons. and the easiest one is that these cakes are going to be cut up and given in little boxes as a present for the guests. and a fruit cake really really dense, like a christmas pudding. it keeps really well.

i even found out that you can still buy pieces of charles and diana's wedding cake online. >> really? >> 1,000 bucks will get you a slice of that one and that's 20 years old. >> i bet it tastes delicious after 20 years. we learned a little bit about the woman designing the cake, f fiona cairns. these are some of her creations we picked up over the weekend. what is she known for in terms of style? >> they're going to be really exciting and bold. the little bit that i know about the cake you read as well. it's going to be covered in flowers. so it's going to be really tall, decorative, and each one of those flowers has got a meaning. we're a united kingdom here. you've got the flowers behind you. there's going to be roses for england and thistles for scotland and shamrocks for ireland, and daffodils for wales. every piece will have a message. >> and also one of those flowers will be a sweet william, we're told. which is rather appropriate. that's the one cake. and it could be fairly large.

charles and diana, their cake was five feet tall? >> i'd expect something really tall. there's a church in fleet street that is supposedly the basis of all christmas cakes -- wedding cakes. christmas cakes and all that. all wedding cakes. a huge, very tall tower and since then all wedding cakes have been one tier on top of another. >> they will not disappoint. there was a lot of interest in the fact that william had also chosen a cake. in the states, typically, especially in the south there would be something like a groom's cake which may be made of chocolate. one of the papers here this morning, though, noted that a lot of americans were jumping on board saying a groom's cake. oh, they're borrowing from the americans. this has been done before in the uk, correct? >> multiple cakes are not unusual. again we go back to the famous charles and diana. they had 27 official cakes for all the different occasions that were part of the wedding. so i think two is quite conservative. >> rather conservative. >> chocolate? well, you know, it's your wedding. get whatever one you like. >> so what's interesting is this cake is made out of these digestives diskits. they're pretty well known.

you have them as a snack with tea. this is going to be made from a recipe of the royal family? >> i wish i could get hold of that one. but it might be very similar to what most of us had as kids what we called a refrigerator cake. you crush up the biscuits and mix them with more chocolate. i think you call it a bit like a rocky road your way. >> sounds fantastic. and you put it in the freeze iror the refrigerator. >> and everyone gets a slice of chocolate heaven. >> apparently with his mother at tea time. you talk a little bit about the floral theme on the cake. how important are the foods that are chosen at a royal wedding? do all the other foods need to have some representation of the united kingdom? >> in england, it's just about feasting at a wedding. i think a wedding meal is probably the last chance for anyone in the modern world, america or here, gets to know what a feast was like for wealthy people in the past. the only time you get to sit at a top table. you get to be the guest of honor. you get almost the idea of a medieval hall, recreated for your wedding. and so everything is just about having a really good time.

and treating your guests to the best food. >> anything you would like to see as part of that meal? especially based on the history? >> i'd like to see some new dishes perhaps. something modern chefs have taken from the past and done their own spin on it. a bit like when our present queen had a coronation, we had traditional coronation chicken from that inspired entirely from that event. wouldn't it be cool if there was one dish from that wedding. >> the will and kate dish. we'll be looking for it. chris, back over to you. >> erica, thank you. switching gears now, do you regret getting that tattoo? or that really bad hairstyle? new study tries to measure the decisions that were most sorry about. as it turns out we regret our choices about the big things in life, school to work to, of course love. ♪ regrets i've had a few ♪ >> reporter: maybe when it comes to regrets, you're like sinatra. ♪ but then again

too few to mention ♪ >> reporter: too few would make you one of the lucky ones. most of us can mention our regrets by name. >> i would believe that people's regrets are a relationship. >> reporter: according to a recent survey the number one subject of regret is romance. named by 18% of those polled. and women are 25% more likely to have relationship regrets than men. >> i wish i had spent more time, relationships more than going after the bucks. >> reporter: men are 7% more likely than women to rue decisions about their careers. another main topic of regret, according to the survey. >> i may have made some different choices in my career track. been more academic than i turned out to be. ♪ >> reporter: did you study hard enough in school? did you go to college? did you graduate?

it turns out that education is a major source of regret for people. >> never really finished my education. it's a regret, because it's tough to get anything without that piece of paper. >> reporter: also among the top five regrets, decisions about money. and difficult family relationships. ♪ that's life >> reporter: but no matter what they regret in life, everyone we talk to said it's important to put those things in the past. >> focus more on what can be done to make things better now. what's done is done. all you can do is move forward from here. >> reporter: i don't know about you, but i'm depressed. joining us now is psychologist and "early" show contributor dr. jennifer hartstein. >> good morning. >> you sit back and you say, wow. >> mm-hmm. gives you a moment to pause and look back on everything you've done, right? >> all right. let's look at this now. the survey of what americans really do regret. the top five were romance, family, education, career, and finance.

so what does this little snapshot say about americans today? >> it really does say we are looking back at our lives and really wondering how we may have done something differently, how we can do something differently. we've spent a lot of time in self-reflection, and maybe too much. maybe we're not doing enough to change it. maybe we're just spending enough time looking back and saying oh, i wish i shd. woulda, coulda shoulda. >> let's break these down. start with romance first. the most common regret and how people could potentially reverse. >> right. so we think that, you know, think about romance. we always do, as they said in that piece, we think about well, it was great, and maybe it could have been. or that lost love from 20 years ago, maybe i need to find them. to the fact is, sometimes you may want to take that plunge and go find the person that got away. maybe there is somebody that got away that you can go rekindle that romance with. you have to take that risk and do it. but it is a risk. because you don't know. maybe they're married to someone else. maybe you're married to someone else. >> you should research that. >> you have to do the research. and maybe they're waiting for you to find them, too.

so you never know. you might want to just go explore it, and then you can actually walk away and say, i tried it, it's done. i can move on. >> how about families? >> family is tough. there's two ways to look at this. one is in a family situation of choosing not to have kids and then regretting that decision. so if you're too old maybe to have kids now, get involved in organizations where you can spend a lot of time with kids. something like big brothers, big sisters, if you still can have children, adopt. we know that that's a big thing. and then there's family relationships. maybe there's a broken relationship with a sibling, a parent, someone in your family you want to mend it. take the high road. be the bigger person, extend the olive branch. try and see if you can fix it. again, if you can't, let it be. >> the high road. the road less traveled. >> it is a hard one to find. >> education? >> education, why not? go figure out ways to learn more. there's always opportunities. maybe you can't go back to school full-time, but you can take evening classes. they now have weekend classes. there's online learning courses that you can take. so there really are new ways to expand the educational horizon. and you can take that chance, too.

>> career and finance. put those in the same category. >> career and finance are tough. and you really have to figure out what it is you want to do. we often think in our 20s we have the opportunity to switch and move our careers a lot. the fact is there are people now, especially in the economic changes, that are changing careers in their 50s and 60s. if there's something you love to do, figure out thank you make sure your finances are in shape, so that you can switch gears and do something else. it might be what you love, and then you're going to have a great end of life career, why not? >> never too late to turn things around. >> it's never too late to change. >> i want to show the other graphic you have here, you can show the difference between men and women. men were more likely to have work-related regrets. women had more regrets with love and family. so, what can women do specifically to experience less of a regret in the old love category? >> i think women tend to internalize and take on all of the problems. they really need to take a step back, put it into the bigger context. and recognize that it's not just them in the relationship. there's multiple people. and for men, we have to really think about what is it about the work, they really measure their success based on their work

lives. they need to find a richer, more fulfilled life so they can figure out what else there is to think about. >> how about those, you know what? i should have taken that trip. i should have done this. a lot of people are really hung up on the fact that they didn't make that decision when they had a chance to make that decision. >> and they find that that actually creates more regrets. you want to figure out how to do it. find the time. can you do it? can you fit it in? can you figure out a were a to engage in the things that you're missing out on, so that you don't? and if you can't, take a step back, accept it, move on. >> just accept it. >> just accept it. sometimes that's all you can do, right? >> what's done is done. >> sometimes that's all you can do. otherwise you're going to be stuck suffering for a long time. >> good to see you. thanks. now let's go back out to erica who is in london. >> chris, thanks. in just about six months, kate middleton has firmly become a fashion icon around the world. there was much attention here in the uk before the engagement, but now we are all focused on her. everything from that iconic blue dress to a ruffled burberry

trench coat has plenty of people running out to the stores to copy her style. so what makes her an instant hit? joining us is paula reed, style director for "grazy" magazine here. great to have you with us. >> good morning. >> it's incredible the attention focused on her fashion, especially since the engagement. what makes her such a hit? >> i think obviously we've been waiting for this for ages. we hadn't realized how much anticipation had bottled up inside. she's very girl next door pretty. she's not iconically beautiful in the way that we kind of described catwalk beauty. she's not supermodel beautiful. but she's got a very approachable beauty. and i think that's something that really appeals to the british public, and clearly she's really connected with everybody. >> she certainly has. at one point i want to make sure i get this correct. she's been referred to as the princess of high street because of some of the choices that she makes. some of which are probably more affordable than some would imagine. others are not. is she helping to reset what is being sold? >> you know, i think that choice

that she makes are so fantastically modern. because the economic times have changed for everybody. and so the days when women filled their wardrobes only with designer clothes are long gone. and most women now are actually shopping across the board in terms of affordability, and investment pieces. and, in fact, she's not far behind your very own michelle obama, who inspired lots of us with her choices of new designers, established designers, and high street. j. crew in america. >> an interesting mix there. based on everything you've seen of what she's worn, and we are all so focused on her every time she steps out, do you have any thoughts on the style of wedding dress she may go for? >> okay, well, that has got to be dictated by the location. because it's westminster abbey, it's got to be cathedral grand. so you can't really turn up in a little column dress and hope that that's going to cover it because it really isn't. >> can you wear a strapless dress? >> you know what, she is not curtailed by any kind of rules in that regard, and we've consulted a lot of constitutional experts.

if she was being crowned queen, there would be a lot of rules and regulations that govern whether it's strap also or not. what she will be curtailed by is the fact that she is the future wife of the future monarch of england. she'll probably choose to wear something that's quite modern. she could go strapless if she wanted to. i very much doubt it. >> what do you think the chances are we'll have more on one dress. one for the wedding? one for the reception or receptions? >> oh, for sure. bring on the wardrobe. she will definitely have a dress for the day. >> okay. >> and i would say that she will definitely have a dress for the evening. >> but perhaps in between -- >> in between? why not? i would if i was her. >> there is so much speculation as to who may be behind the dress. the wedding dress. >> yeah. >> and there's been a lot of rumors that maybe sarah burton from alexander mcqueen. talk about a label that's very fashion forward. not at all conservative. not at all what one would think of for westminster abbey. could you see this really being the person that's behind her dress? >> yeah, because my goodness, if anybody could do cathedral

grand, alexander mcqueen could deliver cathedral grand. he is three times british fashion designer, and international feted designer. he worked for givenchy and he took his own house to huge international success before his tragic suicide last year. but, he's been replaced by sarah burton who started with him as an intern and really built her entire career at his right hand. and, of course, they did some very fashion-forward things. and you can look at what's on the runway, and that can seem quite -- >> over the top? >> scary even for people. people used the frightened word. but actually when working with a private client, which kate catherine middleton would be, they'd be careful to tailor it to her needs. >> can't wait to see what that dress is. do you think she'll ever have the same kind of iconic status in terms of style as her late, who would have been her late mother-in-law, princess diana? >> that's entirely possible. i think the time to manage

people, i think they want to be -- they're learning the lessons that they, you know, obviously took from diana. not always a comfortable relationship with the press. but certainly catherine middleton has got a fantastic genetic blueprint. she's got an amazing body. she's got beautiful legs, incredible hair. she's got really open and fresh face. so all of the royal materials are there. i can't see why not. >> we look forward to seeing what happens on the day. good to have you with us. >> my pleasure. >> we do have more to come from right here in london, including a look at some of the commemorative pieces you can pick up on your own and a few gifts for everyone back at home pick up on your own and a few gifts for everyone back at home in the studio.,,,,,,,,

mmm. ahh. yeah. bacon.

come celebrate baconalia! only at denny's. america's diner is always open. just tried a little bit of the fruit cake. it is decidedly fruity. may not be my choice. perhaps better the plate i ate it off of. it should have been me. i'm bringing one of these back.

>> excellent. very nice. >> kate and will, it says at the bottom. also, i picked this up. it is a -- i guess it's at westminster abbey, a crystal, it's called a tot glass, we'd call it a shot glass. >> i don't know anyone who would want one of those. >> maybe you could bring back a few of those. >> i have a few things i'll be bringing back. >> i was surprised, i think -- >> how did the fruit cake endure? >> 20 years, you can still buy pieces of the royal wedding back back in '81 now? 20 years of ache? >> yeah. >> yuck. >> people keep them in their freezers forever, right? >> yeah, why not. >> remember that episode of seinfeld. it was the cake -- there are a number of lovely pieces here. this is one of the more official. his royal highness and miss catherine middleton. but there are also -- you talk about cheesy available on the street. i'm going to go round up a few things to bring back. some really interesting pictures which are just pasted on plates,

looking, you know, trying to look official. not exactly. people are having a lot of fun here in london. >> you just make sure you get on that plane, young lady. good job out there. we'll see you back in new york tomorrow, erica. that's "the early show" for today.y. mary! hey! wow, you look great! thanks! it's this new wish yourself thin program. i just wish it and it happens. it's probably those fiber one bars you're eating. i know they help me stick to my diet. the bars are 90 calories and the fiber helps you feel full. 90 calories and high fiber. so that's why this diet thing is working. but it's weird because my wish for lorenzo came true. [ male announcer ] fiber one 90 calorie bars.

it's the last monday of march today. here's marty with the forecast. we're averaging ten degrees below normal. it's 31 now and going for a high of 48 degrees. 27 tonight and partly cloudy. we're on the chilly side. on the chilly side, we have a chance of rain wednesday. we'll clear it out for the week's end and weekend. concern over radiation from japan is detected on the east coast of the united states.

we have small amounts detected here in maryland. health officials say there's no need to worry, but they've detected cases of radiation in rain water in pennsylvania and massachusetts. in maryland, there's no radiation in rain water, but amounts are being detected. it's not at harmful levels. one of the nuclear facilities in japan is omitting levels 100,000 times normal. it's being diluted as it travels our way. 13 people were caught drinking champagne and gambling on the job. none of the workers are reporting to work today. they've been suspended though. the police are

investigating a man found dead. there are a few details made available. it's now been three months since anyone's seen phylicia barnes. the 17-year-old from north carolina vanished while visiting her sister. the reward for useful information as to where she is is up to $35,000. a final good-bye for a marine from westminster killed in afghanistan. funeral services will be held in manchester. he died when an ied went off. he was buried with full honors. he leaves behind a wife, a baby on the way and two sons.

maryland wineries possibly going to be able to send wine to your home. wine shipping is legal in 37 other states and the district of columbia. stay with wjz-13, maryland's news station. complete news and first warning weather today atat,, mary! hey! wow, you look great! thanks! it's this new wish yourself thin program. i just wish it and it happens. it's probably those fiber one bars you're eating. i know they help me stick to my diet. the bars are 90 calories and the fiber helps you feel full. 90 calories and high fiber. so that's why this diet thing is working. but it's weird because my wish for lorenzo came true.

[ male announcer ] fiber one 90 calorie bars.